Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



A. W. PEARSALL & F. R. TAISEY.

PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. l4. I908.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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A. W. PEARSALL & F. R. TAISEY.

PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, I908- ]Patenteol Apr. 13, 1915.

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A. W. PEARSALL & F. R. TAISEY.

PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 190B.

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ALBERT W. PEARSALL AND FRED TAISEY, 01* LOVIELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNGRS T0 THE LAMSON GOMPANY, 5F NEWARK, NEW" JERSEY, A. CGRPORATION Q13 NEW JERSEY.

JPNEUMATIC-DESPATCH-T'UBE APPARATUS.

Application filed September 14, 1998.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT W. PEARSALL and Fern It. TAISEY, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in PneumaticDespatch-Tube Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

@ur invention relates to improvements in pneumatic despatch tube apparatus and particularly to single tube pressure systems through which carriers may be transmitted in either direction by a pressure greater than atmospheric.

The object of this invention is to provide means for automatically pneumatically controlling and timing the interval of communication of the source of pressure with the transit tube to the interval necessary for the proper transmission of the carrier and to release the gate or valve at the terminal from which said carrier was despatched when the carrier was delivered.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a construction embodying our in vention; Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a single tube pressure system having two terminals each terminal being equipped with the automatic controlling mechanism. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the controlling mechanism located at one of the terminals with the normal or nonoperating position of the same being shown in full lines and the operating position in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of one of the terminals.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 is a transit tube connecting the terminal at station 2 with the terminal at station 3. 4 is a pressure tube one end of which is connected with a casing 9 at station 2, the opposite end of said tube being connected with a similar casing 9 at station 3. 5 is a tube connecting the tube 4 with a pressure blower 6 driven by a mo tor 7 through belt 8.

Pivoted in the casing 9 (see Fig. 2) at 24 is a valve 23 normally closed controlling an opening 25 adapted to connect the 'air tube 4 with the mouth of the transit tube 1 through a'passage 22 in the casing 9. The valve 23 is connected by a link 26 with the diaphragm 27 inclosed in the casing 9 by cap 28. The chamber 29 on one side of said Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915..

Serial No. 452,807.

diaphragm 27 is connected through a pipe 35 with a valve casing 34 while the lower chamber 36 of said valve casing is connected through a pipe 33 with the air tube 4. The chamber 30 on the opposite side of the diaphragm 27 is connected with the chamber 29 by means of a bypass 31 controlled by the adjustable timing valve 32 which is adapted to restrict said by-pass to a greater or less extent.

39 is a member mounted in the valve casing 34 and carrying a valve 37 normally seated by a spring 40 acting between a cap 41 and said member and normally closing communication between the chamber 36 and pipe 35 through the apertures 38.

11 is a normally open valve located. on the arm 14 pivoted at 12 to extension 16 on the casing 9 and held open by a helical spring 13. One end of arm 14 is pivotally connected at 15 with a lever 17 loosely mounted on a shaft 19 said shaft being pivoted in extensions on the casing 9 Secured to one end of said shaft 19 is a handle 18 having a finger 18 adapted to engage the cap 41 when said handle is moved downward.

20 is a helical spring mounted over the shaft 19'and adapted to hold the handle 18 normally in the full line position shown in Fig. 2 and 20 is a spring adapted to flexibly connect the lever 17 and shaft 19.

10 is an opening in the casing 9 for the insertion of a carrier into the mouth of transit tube 1. Mounted in said casing 9 adjacent to the mouth of said transit tube 1 is a diaphragm 47 connected through stem 46 and pivot 45 with the lower arm 48 of a latch 42 pivoted at 43 to the casing 9. The diaphragm 47 is open to the atmosphere on one side and to the chamber 22 on the opposite side.

44 is a spring adapted to hold the latch 42 normally in the full line position shown in Fig. 2.

The operation is as follows: In despatching a carrier from the station 2 to station 3 the operator insertsthe carrier through the opening 10 into the mouth of the transit tube 1 at station 2 and grasping the handle 18 moves the same to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 closing the valve 11 through the lever 17 and arm 14. A further depression of the handle 18, permitted by the flexible connection between the shaft 19 and the lever 17 causes the finger 18 to engage the cap 41 and open the valve 37 causing the pressure fluid from the pipe 33 to pass through apertures 38 and pipe 35 to the chamber 29. The air pressure acting on the diaphragm 27, which has a greater area than the valve 23, acts through link 26 to open said valve to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 permitting the air pressure to pass from the tube 4 throughthe passage 22 into the transit tube 1 driving the carrier in the direction of station 3. The air pressure in the chamber 22 forces the diaphragm 47 outward against the tension of spring 44 thereby moving the latch 42 into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, securely looking the valve 11 against the air pressure. The. operator new releases the handle 18 which moves sufficiently to release the cap 41 and allow the spring 40 to seat the valve 37 cutting off the air pressure from the chamber 29. The air pressure acting on the valve 23 gradually forces the diaphragm 27 backward gradually closing the valve; the movement of said valve and said diaphragm being timed by the escape of air through the restricted by-pass 31 so that by the time the carrier has delivered at station 3 the valve 23 has entirely-closed shutting OK the air pressure from the tube 4.

The pressure in the chamber 22 now exhausts through the tube 1 releasing the diaphragm 47 and permitting the latch 42 to be moved by spring 44 to release the valve 11 at station 2 allowing the same to be thrown open to normal position by means of springs 13 and 20. The controlling mechanism located at station 3 being identicalwith that located at station 2 permits a despatching of a carrier from station 3 to station 2 in the manner identical with that heretofore described. Suitable air pressure is maintained in the tube 4 by means of the blower 6 driven by the motor 7.

In certain of the appended claims the term pressure fluid has been employed to broadly designate compressed air or the like; while the term power actuated has been used in connection with the means or mechanism operated by the pressure from the source of air pressure employed in the apparatus, in contradistinction to manually operated means or mechanism which might be employed for the purpose for which this mechanism is provided. Certain obvious advantages reside in the provision of such power actuated mechanism; one such advantage being, of course, the ease of operation which is attained by the use of such a mechanism.

- the latch 42, so long as any one of a plurality of succeeding carriers which may have been despatched from a given station at which the said valve is disposed, are in course of transit. Further, while this valve is thus disposed in a position to maintain the carrier transmitting current of air through the transmission tube so as to insure the proper transmission of each and every carrier despatched, it nevertheless automatically opens immediately after the emergence of the last carrier from the tube.

Having thus described our invention and set forth a construction embodying the same, what we claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a single tube for transmitting carriers a source of air pressure connected with said tube, a normally open valve located at the despatching terminal of said tube and adapted to close the opening thereof, a normally closed air valve located adjacent to said terminal and adapted to control the admission of said air pressure thereto for driving carriers, mechanism operated by the pressure from said source for controlling the opening of said normally closed valve to control the admission of said air pressure, means for locking the normally open valve closed against said air pressure, and means for releasing said normally open valve upon the delivery of the carrier at the opposite terminal of said tube.

2. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a tube for transmitting carriers, a source of air pressure connected with said tube, a normally open valve located at the despatching terminal of said tube and adapted to close the opening thereof, a normally closed air valve located adjacent to said terminal and adapted to control the admission of said air pressure thereto for driving carriers, mechanism adapted upon the closing of said normally open valve to be ope atcd by the pressure from said source for controlling the admission of said air pressure to said tube for driving carriers, means for holding the normally open valve at said terminal closed against said air pressure, means for releasing said normally open valve upon the delivery of the carrier at the opposite terminal of the tube, and means for then automatically cutting off said air pressure.

3. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a tube for transmitting carriers, a source of air pressure connected with said tube, a normally open valve located at the despatching terminal of said tube and adapted to close the opening thereof, a normally closed air valve located adjacent to said terminal and adapted to control the admission of said air pressure thereto for driving carriers, mechanism adapted upon the closing of said normally open valve to be operated by the pressure from said source for controlling the admission of said air pressure to said tube for driving carriers; means for holding the normally open valve at said terminal closed against said air pres sure, means for automatically releasing said normally open valve upon the delivery of In testimony whereof We have signed our 10 names to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses this 28th day of August, 1908.

ALBERT W. PEARSALL. FRED R. TAISEY.

the carrier at the opposite terminal of the Witnesses: tube, and means for independently and auto- A. L. MESSER, matically cutting ofi' said air pressure. M. 'l. GOODHUE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

